N. T. Rama Rao facts for kids

Quick facts for kids N. T. Rama Rao
10th Chief Minister of United Andhra Pradesh
In office 9 January 1983 – 16 August 1984
Governor	K. C. Abraham Thakur Ram Lal
Preceded by	Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy
Succeeded by	Nadendla Bhaskara Rao
In office 16 September 1984 – 2 December 1989
Governor	Shankar Dayal Sharma
Preceded by	Nadendla Bhaskara Rao
Succeeded by	Marri Chenna Reddy
In office 12 December 1994 – 1 September 1995
Governor	Krishan Kant
Preceded by	Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy
Succeeded by	N. Chandrababu Naidu
Personal details
Born	(1923-05-28)28 May 1923 Nimmakuru, Madras Presidency, British India (now in Andhra Pradesh, India)
Died	18 January 1996(1996-01-18) (aged 72) Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India (now in Telangana)
Cause of death	Cardiac arrest
Political party	Telugu Desam Party (1982–1996)
Other political affiliations	National Front (1989–1996)
Spouses	Basavatarakam ​ ​ (m. 1942; died 1985)​ Lakshmi Parvathi ​ ​ (m. 1993)​
Children	12, including Harikrishna Nandamuri MohanakrishnaMohanakrishna Balakrishna Purandeswari
Relatives	See Nandamuri–Nara family
Alma mater	SRR & CVR College, Andhra Christian College
Occupation	Actor producer director film editor politician
Awards	Padma Shri (1968) National Film Awards
Signature

Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (born May 28, 1923 – died January 18, 1996) was a famous Indian actor, filmmaker, and politician. People often called him NTR. He was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, a state in India, for seven years over three different times.

NTR acted in more than 300 movies, mostly in Telugu cinema. People called him Viswa Vikhyatha Nata Sarwa Bhouma, which means "Universal star of acting." He won three National Film Awards for his work. He was known for his amazing acting in films like Raju Peda (1954) and Lava Kusa (1963). In 2013, a national poll by CNN-IBN voted him the "Greatest Indian Actor of All Time."

He started his acting career in 1949 with the Telugu film Mana Desam. In the 1950s, he became very popular for playing Hindu gods like Krishna and Rama. These roles made him a "messiah of the masses," meaning a hero to many people. Later, he also played strong hero characters who fought against injustice.

Some of his famous films include Pathala Bhairavi (1951) and Mayabazar (1957). These films are considered classics in Indian cinema. He also acted in a few Tamil films. NTR was known for his unique acting style, especially when playing mythological characters.

In 1968, the Government of India gave him the Padma Shri award for his great contributions to Indian cinema. After his successful film career, NTR entered politics. He started his own political party, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), in 1982. He became the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh three times between 1983 and 1995. He worked to promote the unique culture of Andhra Pradesh. He also helped create the National Front, a group of political parties that led the Indian government from 1989 to 1990.

Early Life and Education

Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao was born on May 28, 1923. His family lived in a small village called Nimmakuru in what was then British India. He was adopted by his paternal uncle and aunt because they did not have children.

He learned Telugu from a teacher who came from a nearby village. His father, who loved arts, also encouraged him. Unlike most children who stopped school early, NTR continued his education. He studied in Vijayawada and later at SRR & CVR College and Andhra Christian College in Guntur.

In 1947, he got a good government job as a sub-registrar. But he left this job after only three weeks. He wanted to focus completely on his acting career. He also developed a deep, strong singing voice when he was young.

Family Life

In May 1943, when he was 20, NTR married Basava Rama Tarakam. They had twelve children together: eight sons and four daughters.

Sadly, Basava Tarakam passed away from cancer in 1985. To honor her memory, NTR built the Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital in Hyderabad in 1986. In 1993, NTR married Lakshmi Parvathi, a writer. She wrote a two-volume biography about NTR's life. The first book, Eduruleni Manishi, was about his childhood and film career. The second book, Telugu Tejam, covered his political journey.

NTR's eldest son, Nandamuri Ramakrishna Sr., passed away in 1962. NTR built the Ramakrishna Studios in his memory. His fourth son, Nandamuri Harikrishna, was also an actor and later a politician. Harikrishna's sons, Nandamuri Kalyan Ram and N. T. Rama Rao Jr., are also actors today. NTR's sixth son, Nandamuri Balakrishna, is a very popular actor in Telugu cinema. He also became a politician.

NTR's third daughter, Bhuvaneshwari, is married to N. Chandrababu Naidu, who also became a Chief Minister. His second daughter, Daggubati Purandeswari, is a well-known politician.

Film Career Highlights

NTR as Girisam in Kanyasulkam (1955)

NTR began his film journey with a small role as a policeman in Mana Desam (1949). He gained fame for playing Hindu gods. He played the god Krishna in 17 films, including the famous Maya Bazaar (1957). He also played the god Rama in films like Lava Kusa (1963). He even played other characters from the ancient Indian epic Ramayana, like Ravana.

Later in his career, he started playing roles of common men who fought against unfair systems. These films were very popular with ordinary people. Some examples are Adavi Ramudu (1977) and Justice Chowdary (1982). He also acted in fantasy films like Yamagola (1977).

NTR in Pathala Bhairavi (1951)

NTR also wrote screenplays for many of his own movies and for other films. He started his own film production companies, National Art Theater and later Ramakrishna Studios. He helped build many cinemas and created ways to fund movie production and distribution. He was very dedicated to his acting. For example, at age 40, he learned Kuchipudi dance for his role in the film Nartanasala (1963).

NTR in Daasi (1952)

Political Journey

NTR started the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on March 29, 1982. He said he wanted to improve Andhra Pradesh and end corruption.

First Term as Chief Minister (1983)

For the elections, the TDP chose educated candidates with good reputations. This was a new idea in politics. NTR himself ran for election in two areas: Gudivada and Tirupati. He used new ways to campaign, like being the first Indian politician to use a special van called Chaitanya Ratham. His son, Nandamuri Harikrishna, drove the van. NTR traveled over 75,000 kilometers, talking to people across the state. His main message was about the "self-respect of Telugu people."

In the 1983 elections, the TDP won a huge victory, getting 202 out of 294 seats. NTR won both seats he ran for. He became the Chief Minister on January 9, 1983. He was the first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh who was not from the Congress party.

Brief Loss and Return to Power (1984)

On August 15, 1984, NTR was removed from his position while he was in the US for heart surgery. His finance minister, Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, took over. However, NTR quickly returned to India and showed that most of the elected members still supported him.

He restarted his Chaitanya Ratham campaign. This time, he fought for democracy and got support from many other political parties across India. During this time, the members who supported NTR were kept in a safe place to prevent them from being swayed by others. This was a new step in Indian politics. Because of public pressure and support from other parties, the Governor was changed, and NTR was able to return as Chief Minister.

Campaigning in Other States (1984)

In 1984, NTR also campaigned for his friend M. G. Ramachandran (M.G.R.), who was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. M.G.R. was in the hospital, so NTR used his Chaitanya Ratham to help M.G.R.'s party win.

National Elections (1984)

Later in 1984, national elections were held. The Congress party won most seats across India. But in Andhra Pradesh, NTR's TDP won a huge victory. The TDP became the first regional party to be the main opposition party in the national parliament (Lok Sabha).

Second Term as Chief Minister (1985)

NTR decided to hold new state elections in 1985 so people could choose their leaders again. The TDP won again with a massive majority. NTR won from three different areas. He completed his full five-year term as Chief Minister.

Leader of Opposition (1989)

In the 1989 state elections, the TDP lost power, and the Congress party returned. NTR lost one of his seats but kept his Hindupur seat. During this time, he had a mild stroke, which some people believe affected the election results.

Role in National Politics (1989)

In 1989, NTR became a key figure in national politics. He formed the National Front, a group of parties that opposed the Congress party. This alliance governed India from 1989 to 1990. NTR's government at the national level worked for social justice, especially by providing reservations for certain groups.

Third Term as Chief Minister (1994)

NTR returned to power for his third and final term in the December 1994 state elections. His party, allied with other parties, won 269 out of 294 seats. The Congress party won only 26 seats. NTR won his Hindupur seat for the third time in a row. However, his son-in-law, Chandra Babu Naidu, led a revolt within the party. This led to Naidu becoming the Chief Minister on September 1, 1995, replacing NTR.

Awards and Recognitions

NTR received many awards for his work in films and his contributions to society.

Civilian Honours

Other Honours

Filmfare Awards South

Nandi Awards

National Film Awards

Legacy and Influence

NTR's memorial in NTR Gardens, Hyderabad

The NTR National Award is a special award given in his honor. It recognizes great film personalities for their lifetime achievements in Indian cinema. The NTR National Literary Award also honors people for their contributions to Indian literature.

A university in Vijayawada, Dr. N.T.R. University of Health Sciences, was named after him in 1998. This shows how important he was to the state.

NTR's life has been shown in films. His son, Nandamuri Balakrishna, played him in the movies N.T.R: Kathanayakudu and N.T.R: Mahanayakudu.

Legislative Career as Assembly Member

NTR was elected as a member of the state assembly several times.

Passing Away

N. T. Rama Rao passed away from a heart attack on January 18, 1996, at his home in Hyderabad. He was 72 years old.

Images for kids

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  Rama Rao's signature

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  NTR on an Indian postal stamp, 2000

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  Statue of NTR in Anantapur

See also

In Spanish: N. T. Rama Rao para niños

• List of chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh
• Government of Andhra Pradesh
• Elections in Andhra Pradesh
• Politics of Andhra Pradesh